Hello social insect fans,

We have had some turnover in our social media editing duo for Insectes Sociaux, so we wanted to take this opportunity to introduce ourselves. Our most recent social media editor, Bernadette Wittwer, had moved on, and we will miss her. I (Madison) am staying on, and it’s my pleasure to welcome Daniela Roemer to the team. I’m excited to work with her to bring you news about new and exciting social insect research! Here’s a little bit about us:

Daniela Roemer

I am a behavioral ecologist interested in self-organized pattern formation in social insects and my study organisms are leaf-cutting ants. After receiving my Ph.D. from the Julius-Maximilians University of Wuerzburg, Germany, I spent two years as a postdoc at the Universidad de la República in Montevideo, Uruguay. Currently, I am a postdoc in the Roces Lab at the University of Wuerzburg, where I study foraging patterns and nest architecture of leafcutters, either in the lab at my university or in the field in Northern Argentina.

Aside from work, I have a passion for travel, books, and my pets (cats, fish, and stick insects). In recent years I have also become interested in science communication and sharing the hard work of my fellow scientists with a broader audience to raise awareness of the importance of scientific research and funding. As the newest member of the social media team, I am very excited to bring you the newest publications and stories from Insectes Sociaux and its blog across the journal’s social media channels.

Madison Sankoviz

I am an entomology Ph.D. candidate in the Purcell Lab at the University of California Riverside. My research focuses on nesting patterns and landscape-level genomic adaptations of Formica ants. I received a B.A. in ecology and evolutionary biology from the University of Colorado Boulder, where I studied the effects of Formica podzolica ant colonies on soil moisture, nitrogen, and plant communities. I am passionate about science communication and am always thinking about ways to bring out the stories behind scientific experiments and findings. The research of other social insect scientists continually inspires me, and I admire these entomologists’ unique enthusiasm for examining social aspects of the natural world. It’s been a blast to highlight publications and help tell the stories behind them as a social media editor for Insectes Sociaux, and I’m excited to continue in this role!

The best part of this role is working with all the contributors to the blog and our interviewees. Thank you to all of you who have participated; we look forward to our communication with many more of you.

If you are interested in blogging or interviewing, do not hesitate to contact us via Twitter (@InsSociaux), Facebook, Instagram, or via email at madison.inssoc@gmail.com and daniela.inssoc@gmail.com.